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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24087805">A family doing their damn best</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Monaskai/pseuds/Monaskai'>Monaskai</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Me - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 22:09:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>19,147</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24087805</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Monaskai/pseuds/Monaskai</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Reunited and it feels so good</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mona was staring at her phone with the blankest expression she could have ever possibly mustered. Two missed calls from her mom and a simple text requesting she call her back. Kai wasn’t home, so it wasn’t as if the phone call would start a tense and awkward exchange of words neither could get past. There wasn’t any harm in calling. She… missed her mom. A lot. Her face that lit up whenever Mona walked into a room, arms immediately opening for a massive bear hug. Her yelling for her dad too…</p><p>Mona sighed and hung her head. Her dad.</p><p>She tapped the screen and the dial tone began to buzz, lifting it to her ear. She almost didn’t want Viola to answer, but on the second ring Mona heard a soft click as the call connected. Mona gulped.</p><p>“Mona! How are you? I’m sorry for bothering you if you were busy…”</p><p>“Nah, not… busy. Just preoccupied.”</p><p>“Ah… I’m sorry. We can always talk later…”</p><p>Mona put a hand over her eyes. “No, it’s okay. What’s up?”</p><p>Viola was quiet for a second before Mona heard a soft sigh. “... This is hard. Not having you around. It… would mean the world to me if you tried to come home and see your father. I… I do understand that it’s hard. But a mother never wants to see her family torn apart.”</p><p>Her eyes were watering. Dammit. Mona sniffed and Viola made a small, sad sound that usually followed a hug. But Viola wasn’t here. Mona hadn’t seen her mom, much less her parents together, face to face for months. Ever since she moved in with Kai. Her dad had every right to be angry. He did. </p><p>Didn’t make it any easier.</p><p>“... Are you home now?”</p><p>“I am.”</p><p>“... Is Dad?”</p><p>“He is…”</p><p>“Mom, if this… goes south…”</p><p>“I understand.”</p><p>Viola was on the verge of tears. Mona could hear it. She heard her mother cry enough times in her life to identify it before it even started. Mona didn’t want to be another reason why she cried. That was terrible. Instead, she swallowed her pride, Kai’s pride, and her father’s. Time to do what was right. Time to try.</p><p>“I’m on my way.”</p><p>Mona’s fist trembled slightly as she knocked on the door. It took a few seconds of nervous foot shuffling and anxious shifting before the front door swung open, revealing a demure pink-haired woman whose face lit up like the sun. Mona forced out a smile as Viola grabbed her, holding her daughter close, praying that Viola wouldn’t notice how fucking terrified she was for what came next. Instead, she buried her face in her mother’s hair, nearly crumbling into her arms from the smell and feeling of home that radiated out of Viola. Her mother shushed her, running fingers through her hair as Mona fought to keep it together.</p><p>A soft kiss pressed against her ear. “I love you.”</p><p>Mona sniffed hard. “I love you too, Mom.”</p><p>Viola pulled away and brushed a strand of white hair behind Mona’s ear as her face fell calm. A mask that hid pain and anger, though her eyes sparkled and shimmered. With happiness or sorrow, Mona couldn’t tell. Viola took her hand gently and pulled her inside, shutting the door quietly behind them. Her nerves spiked as soon as that door closed. Her dad was somewhere in this house, and he wouldn’t exactly be pleased to see her.</p><p>That… twisted her heart. How had they gone from getting snacks and ice cream after school to not speaking for six months?</p><p>Viola had her pause before the living room, walking inside with her hands folded behind her back. “Hiro…”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>Mona bit down on her lip. She loved her dad. She loved her dad, and he was the entire world to her. Yet now his voice sent shockwaves of anxiety spider webbing across her body, nerves all jumpy and haywire instead of calm and at ease. Viola shifted uneasily.</p><p>“Vi, what’s wrong?”</p><p>Viola looked over her shoulder and jutted her head a little. Mona shoved her hands into her jacket and stepped into sight, trying to not look like she was about to burst into tears. Hiro’s expression went from confused to cold in milliseconds, eyes narrowed and bleeding distrust. Mona waved a little, trying a deflated smile that flattened in no time flat. She shifted her weight into her other leg and looked down at the floor, the same emotions of anger and frustration and the goddamn feeling of being trapped between two boulders squeezing her heart until it was close to popping open.</p><p>“She’s your daughter,” Viola said firmly. “And you're her father. This has gone on long enough, Atsuhiro.”</p><p>“If she’s my daughter, then she can stand her ground and talk to me. She doesn’t need you to do that, Viola.”</p><p>Mona bristled. “Pretty hard to do when you don’t listen to a thing I have to say.”</p><p>She looked up at her dad, gaze hardened. Hiro didn’t say a word, let not an emotion slip. He crossed his arm over his chest, mechanical arm creaking. Mona flinched. She knew he saw it. He never said anything. Viola put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it.</p><p>“If I leave,” she said quietly. “Can I trust you to solve this on your own?”</p><p>“I guess we’ll find out,” Mona mumbled. Hiro shrugged. Viola looked up at the ceiling and dropped her hand, disappearing out of the room. The stairs creaked as she headed upstairs, leaving them alone. In the same room. Mona gulped and leaned against the wall. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know if he was waiting or if he didn’t either.</p><p>Mona took a deep breath and looked up again. Hiro’s face was calculated. Stoney. Not warm and shining and welcoming.</p><p>Maybe she lost that right when she chose Kai. But why should she have to choose? She loved them both.</p><p>If only she could get the words out.</p><p>She tried her best. “I know you’re mad at me.”</p><p>Hiro’s voice didn’t reveal any emotion behind it. “Disappointed is the word I’d use.”</p><p>That struck her like a bullet. Hiro knew it did. How the fuck was this fair?!</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Mona tried to not raise her voice. “But you disappointed me, too.”</p><p>“Oh?” Hiro almost laughed. “Dezzie, why in the world would I not be disappointed? That little pissant ripped off my arm. You honestly expect me to want my daughter in the hands of someone so cold and callous? In the hands of a murderer?”</p><p>“He’s not,” Mona snapped. “Kai isn’t the person you think he is. He’s changed. If you gave him a chance like I did, you’d see that too. But you’re stuck in the past grieving things that are dead and gone. Life is moving forward. My life included! So if you-”</p><p>“Mona,” Hiro’s voice was firm. “I will not ever trust that bastard. I won’t trust him with anything, least of all your wellbeing and your life. If you had seen the things he did-”</p><p>“And what about the things you did?” Mona shouted. “You lost an arm, and he lost both! Kai’s been through things you don’t even care enough to hear because of you. The things you did broke him, the same way he almost broke you! So the both of you just go on hating each other and ripping open old wounds because neither of you can let go of the past and move on! And what was it that you always taught me as a kid, eh?!”</p><p>“Watch your mouth-”</p><p>“Let bygones be bygones!” Mona’s voice was steadily climbing. “Let it go! Don’t let your anger get the best of you! What happened to all of that, Dad!? Did you just forget everything for the convenience of your sanity?”</p><p>“I know how he operates,” Hiro slung back, voice dipping into venom. “I have seen what that man sacrifices to get what he wants. Am I just supposed to sit back and let him choose when he sacrifices you for his ambitions? Let you get hurt-”</p><p>“I ALREADY AM HURT!” Mona screamed, tears falling down her face as her cheeks turned scarlet. “How the fuck am I supposed to keep going every day knowing the people I love the most all hate each other?! I CAN’T CHOOSE WHO I LOVE AND CARE ABOUT! I’m stuck in the middle between all of the hate and I’m sad all of the fucking time because I can’t talk to either of you about why I’m sad! Because both of you hate each other, Mom cries because her family’s broken, and I’m sitting here stuck and a-alone-”</p><p>She was sobbing into her father’s shirt before he managed to get to her in time, beating her fists against his chest. Mona wailed as Hiro pulled her into a hug, absolutely silent except for his breathing and his heartbeat. He shushed her gently, rubbing her back as her shoulders shook and she broke down. Six months of tears and frustrations pouring out all at once, clinging to her dad because she fucking missed him and his hugs and his laugh and his smile. Her nails bunched in the back of his shirt as the shoulders, just barely grazing over the indent where metal met flesh under the fabric. She hated it. How many times had she asked Kai to fix it? How many times had he refused? She hated it. She hated this, she hated all of it.</p><p>“I just want you to be happy,” Hiro murmured. “Happy and safe. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you.”</p><p>“I am happy,” she sniffed. “When I have both of you in my life.”</p><p>“Mona, it’s delusional to think I will ever approve of Kai Chisaki.”</p><p>“Then is it delusional to want my fucking dad back?!” she was fighting down another wave of sobs. “I can’t do this anymore, Dad, I can’t!”</p><p>“You don’t have to. I… I’m sorry for hurting you. I’ll… try my best. To be there for you from now on. I just need you to be honest with me.”</p><p>Mona snorted back tears and looked up at him. “With what?”</p><p>Hiro wiped his eyes and looked away from a second, returning to her gaze with a complicated expression. “Does he genuinely make you happy?”</p><p>“Yes,” she nodded.</p><p>“Would he keep you safe, no matter what?”</p><p>“Yes,” she snapped. “He’s not who you think he is.”</p><p>Hiro sighed and hugged her tighter. “Do you understand how much I love you?”</p><p>His voice cracked. Mona’s eyes flooded with salty tears. She nodded feverently, letting them all out. Hiro held her tighter, flinching with her little hiccups as tears rolled down his cheeks into her hair. The stairs squeaked quietly as Viola tiptoed back downstairs. Like a ghost, she drifted over to their hug and stepped behind Mona, wrapping her arms around her husband and daughter. Mona only cried harder, turning to cling to both of them.</p><p>“I m-missed you,” she squeaked. </p><p>Viola kissed her ear again, taking Hiro’s hand. Hiro let out a shuddering breath.</p><p>“We missed you, too, Dezzie.”</p><p>Mona crumbled into her parents as they held their daughter, smiling through the tears.</p><p>Even if they were all sobbing, at least they were together again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Dad vs boyfriend</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>a/n: we’re just gonna leave off at the end of the reunion fic because i said so chapter fuckin 2 i guess</p><p>Hiro had tucked Viola into bed, kissing her on the forehead. His pink-haired wife mumbled something in her sleep and he couldn’t help but smile as he pulled the blanket up to her shoulders. He turned off the lamp next to her side of the bed and tiptoed quietly out of the room, carefully shutting it behind her. Back down the steps to where his daughter was curled up on the couch munching on popcorn with a blanket around her shoulders. Mona glanced up as he sat down next to her, stealing a few pieces before she slapped lightly at his hand.</p><p>“Go make your own,” she huffed.</p><p>“My house, my popcorn,” he shot back.</p><p>Mona rolled her eyes before holding up her hands when he gave her the dad stare of death, smiling sheepishly. Hiro plucked a few more from the bowl as the monster in the movie destroyed the city, plumes of smoke and fire wavering in the air. Mona was locked into the destruction, but he couldn’t get one thing she had said out of his mind.</p><p>Kai’s been through things you don’t even care enough to hear because of you. The things you did broke him…</p><p>Curiosity was going to kill him.</p><p>“Mona, what happened to Chisaki?”</p><p>She jumped as if he had reached out to strike her. Mona set the popcorn bowl on the table and paused the movie, the living dark other than the scenes of destruction shining light across their faces. She tugged the blanket tighter around her shoulders and pulled her knees up to her chest. Small. A quick glance at the floor and a heavy sigh later, she was staring at the ceiling with a scowl.</p><p>“Dad, it’s… a lot. Like, a long, long, long story.”</p><p>“I want to know.”</p><p>“Why? You never cared before.”</p><p>“I care about the consequences of my actions,” he said carefully. “Especially when they concern you or your mother.”</p><p>Mona chewed her lip before she began fiddling with the hem of her t-shirt. “It… stays between us. Okay? It doesn’t leave this house.”</p><p>He wasn’t sure why she was being so cautious, but he nodded in agreement. Mona sucked in a deep breath and dropped her gaze to him with an incredulous laugh.</p><p>“I don’t even know where to start,” Mona murmured. “I don’t know everything, or the exact timeline. Basically, you lopped off his arms and left him for dead… which would mess up anyone.”</p><p>Hiro flexed his mechanical arm for emphasis. Mona sighed and looked away as her gaze darkened, hiding some kind of ghost she wasn’t keen on giving up. He knew she was trying to protect the little bastard. He also knew Kai didn’t need or deserve that amount of loyalty. Least of all from his daughter, who deserved a whole lot fucking more than Kai fucking Chisaki.</p><p>“I don’t know the specifics, okay? I really don’t,” Mona’s eyes were starting to water. “Somehow that weirdass doctor’s people got a hold of him. They figured out a way to get him his arms back, and then they basically used him as a blood bag for two years.”</p><p>Hiro had to swallow the laughter that bubbled up in the back of his throat. That was poetic justice. He remembered that little girl they confiscated from Overhaul’s laboratory, the one he was using to make Quirk destroying bullets. A scarred, scared child who could never smile. Poetic justice, karma, fate. Whatever it was, it was fine. A taste of his own medicine. Hiro’s stomach still churned at the thought. If Chisaki was willing to sacrifice a child’s happiness, the hell would he do to Mona?</p><p>She was watching him carefully. Hiro waved vaguely, gesturing for her to continue. Mona fidgeted uncomfortably.</p><p>“I don’t know, Dad. Half the time I piece crap together from him waking up from nightmares. Kai can barely talk about the majority of the time, and I don’t wanna just be the dick that tries to pry it out and rip open more scars. We just go… at his own pace.”</p><p>Hiro wasn’t talking, so Mona kept going. He wasn’t sure what to think. Of course Chisaki deserved it. He tortured a child for personal gain for hell knows how long. Yet Mona was sitting here on the verge of tears just talking about it.</p><p>That messed with the hatred in his heart a little bit.</p><p>“I know they kept him in solitary confinement. Complete isolation,” Mona wiped her eyes. “Because his memory is patchy in a lot of places. They’d bleed him dry and starve him out. If he didn’t comply, they’d torture him. I think they electrocuted him a lot. Some of the burn scars look like they’d come from tasers or something. He… he has a lot of scars now.”</p><p>Hiro scoffed. “He can get rid of them whenever he wants.”</p><p>“That’s the thing,” Mona frowned. “He won’t. He’s… not the same. He thinks he has to atone or do some weird… eye for an eye type of junk. He’s more skittish about germs and stuff, too. I’ve caught him trying to claw the scars off a few times. He has panic attacks and nightmares and he barely sleeps.”</p><p>“That’s not your issue to deal with.”</p><p>“I don’t care. I want to be there. If I’m not there, who else does he have?” Mona’s voice was cold and firm. “I’ll say it once, and I’ll say it again. I’m not leaving him. If you hadn’t noticed, I love him.”</p><p>“Do you blame me then?” he frowned. “Shigaraki’s the one that amputated his arms.”</p><p>“You didn’t stop him.”</p><p>“He destroyed my arm. He killed one of our own.”</p><p>“And you’re both too proud to look past those two things,” she snorted. “Was I pissed at him when he snapped your arm off? Yes. I was there for you then. Now, he needs me. I’m not going anywhere and you have to accept that.”</p><p>“I’m not going to,” he frowned. “You are my greatest treasure in this world. Chisaki is a world of problems at your own expense. I don’t trust him.”</p><p>“You haven’t even given him a chance.”</p><p>“Has he given me one either?”</p><p>Mona shook her head. “Unless you both set your pride aside, we’re never going to get anywhere. You know that, right?”</p><p>“Yes, it is my pride. My pride at this point is you. Did you forget what he did to that child? It’s despicable, Mona-”</p><p>“No one under this goddamn roof has any right to talk about what’s despicable and what’s not,” Mona hissed, eyes narrowed. “We’ve all done terrible things to people for the right reasons and the wrong reasons. It doesn’t matter.”</p><p>He pinched the bridge of his nose with a heavy sigh. “... Thank you. For at least being honest with me.”</p><p>“... You’re welcome. Thanks for being real with me, too.”</p><p>Hiro opened up his arms and Mona fell into him with a light thump. She pressed play as they fell into uncomfortable silence as the monsters burned the city to the ground.</p><p>Mona didn’t trust his reasons for coming with her, and she knew he knew that. Hiro was adamant about taking her back to their apartment. Probably so he could see where she was living and make sure it wasn’t a cardboard box. He had been asking her questions about it the entire trip, asking if she needed groceries or anything until Mona had held his face between her hands and calmly asked him to stop. Now it was back to the tense silence.</p><p>Tenser after he told her he wanted to talk to Kai.</p><p>Mona was dragging her feet up the stairs to their door, Hiro following close behind. Whatever he was going to say was going to be terrible. She knew it was. Hiro cared too much to keep his goddamn mouth shut, and he was too prideful to just sit back and not rub the entire scenario in Kai’s face. And Kai was going to be annoyed, pissed off, or panicking because he hated surprises and wasn’t answering his phone when she called and texted him to warn him.</p><p>Which meant Kai’s mouth was going to be as toxic as her dad’s.</p><p>She grumbled to herself as she shoved her key into the door, peeking inside to see if Kai was in the living room (which he wasn’t) before pushing the door open all the way. Hiro followed her inside, both kicking off their shoes as Mona threw her jacket on the back of a chair.</p><p>“KAI!” she shouted. “Where are you?”</p><p>No response. He had to be here. He never fucking left. Hiro crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the back of the couch as Mona walked deeper inside towards the bedroom, which was closed. Maybe he was taking a nap? She opened the door, finding it pitch black.</p><p>“Kai?” she whispered.</p><p>Mona frowned at the lack of response and flipped on a light. Almost instantly, the bundle of blankets on the bed moved, pulling back to reveal a rather disgruntled looking Kai. He rubbed his eyes and yawned as she sat down on the edge of the bed.</p><p>“Did you just wake up?” she managed a small smile.</p><p>Kai pulled the blanket back over his head. “No. I took a nap.”</p><p>“At 6pm?”</p><p>The blanket snapped back off. “I slept for six hours?”</p><p>Mona glanced at his phone, grimacing at the unread messages and unanswered calls. “Apparently so.”</p><p>“What’s wrong?” he sat up instantly. She bit the inside of her lip.</p><p>“Um… My dad wants to talk to you.”</p><p>Kai laughed, short and barkish. “No.”</p><p>“Okay, well he’s here, so…”</p><p>“You let him in?”</p><p>“He’s my dad, Kai.”</p><p>Kai stared at the wall for a second, gaze turning from a sunny yellow to something tarnished and dark. He shoved the covers off and stood up, stretching. He didn’t even bother to grab a long sleeved shirt, settling for his black cotton mask over his face, gloves, and walking out the door. Mona almost followed him when she heard Kai growl out “Compress” and decided to stay seated as anxiety bubbled in her stomach.</p><p>She was going to call her mom. Viola answered on the first ring.</p><p>“How bad is it going?” her voice was as anxious as Mona felt.</p><p>Mona laughed.</p><p>Hiro almost didn’t believe he was staring at the prick again.</p><p>Kai was definitely leaner. He had already been a stick of a human being, and now he was somewhere between stick and rail. Dark shadows hung around his eyes that drilled holes into him with spears of animosity, arms crossed over his chest. He was grabbing at his shirt with his hands, pulling the fabric off his wrists for Hiro to see the slightest bits of marring crawling between the exposed gaps of the gloves and his sleeves. His hair was messy and disorganized, paler than ever.</p><p>Hiro waved with his mechanical head. “Long time no see, eh, Overhaul?”</p><p>“Get out of my house.”</p><p>“Dry as ever,” Hiro whistled. “You always lacked charm. You have no appreciation for it.”</p><p>“What do you want?” Kai snapped. Hiro could see him grinding his teeth from underneath his mask. His skin was starting to look irritated. Jesus. He really did get worked up easily nowadays.</p><p>“Fine, I’ll cut to the chase,” Hiro shoved his hands into his pockets. “Mona. Let’s talk about Mona for a second, yeah?”</p><p>Kai’s eye twitched. Hiro smiled.</p><p>“I obviously don’t like you,” Hiro tilted his head. “Probably never will, considering you destroyed my arm. I’m not happy she’s doing this. Frankly, there isn’t a damn thing she could say or do to not see you as the monster we both know you are. So let me just say this, and I’ll be on my way.”</p><p>Kai’s expression was as blank as it had always been, except this time it seemed his eyes were betraying him. They were as dark as the shadows under his eyes, nearly screaming with the desire to smack Hiro out of existence. In a way, he seemed too small. Too tired to make an effort. But Hiro knew that look well. It was the look he had when Magne attacked him, when he stole his arm away.</p><p>Hiro scoffed.</p><p>“Don’t you dare do anything that endangers my daughter, Chisaki,” Hiro flipped a marble out between his fingers. “Take care of her. Prove me wrong. Show me you’re not the heartless freak I think you are.”</p><p>Kai flinched. Hiro had never seen him flinch. He almost apologized. He almost apologized before Kai opened his fucking mouth.</p><p>“At least I never turned my back on her.”</p><p>Something in him snapped. Hiro about hurled a marble into the brat’s eye when Hiro’s arm froze in place, held by purple energy. Kai’s head snapped around as Mona came running, panting as she dropped Hiro’s arm.</p><p>“Dad, I’ll walk you out,” she sounded winded. She had sprinted in here and her voice was ragged, clutching her chest. Hiro gave Kai one last look before Mona dragged him outside.</p><p>Mona found Kai in the bathroom, scrubbing his hands under water so hot it was turning his skin beet red. She quickly snapped the water off as he pulled his hands back, drying them off on a towel without a word. Mona’s heart was in her throat.</p><p>“Kai, I’m sorry-”</p><p>“Don’t be,” Kai mumbled. “He’s right.”</p><p>Kai wouldn’t even look at her. He tried to brush past her to retreat into their bed again, jumping back when she grabbed his wrist. She could feel the little bumps fading into her skin, his hands burning from the scalding water. </p><p>“He’s not,” Mona insisted. “He doesn’t know-”</p><p>Kai took his hand back. “It doesn’t matter what he knows and doesn’t know. Actions speak louder than words. What I’ve done makes me terrible. I poison you and everything around me, and he’s right.”</p><p>“You’re not-”</p><p>“Mona, stop. Just stop.”</p><p>Kai’s voice was utterly defeated. He didn’t want to listen. He trudged back into their room, turned off the light, and shut the door behind him. She stood for a second as tears stung in her eyes as she heard the mattress creak. The sound was enough to propel her forward, shoving the door open. She crawled in bed besides the lump, and placed her hand where his head poked out. Kai peered out with teary golden eyes.</p><p>“I love you,” Mona sniffed. “I love you and I see someone who’s amazing, and funny, and ambitious, and kind, and strong, and I-”</p><p>Kai pulled her close. He wasn’t crying, but he let her under the blankets and rested his head on her chest. Mona squeezed him tight.</p><p>“I love you, too.”</p><p>Kai’s voice was dead. The confidence and energy had vanished.</p><p>But at least he still took her hand.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. He failed to protect</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Don’t fucking touch her,” Hiro was straining against the ropes that bound him to the post. “Let her fucking go, you can have me instead-”</p><p>A sharp slap across his face brought tears to his eyes. The shrouded figure that had rocked his shit stood up and quietly drifted away, shadows following them wherever they went. They were walking towards Mona, who was still passed out limp like her nerves had stopped working, splaying her out like a child’s doll on the stainless steel surface. They were slowly strapping her in at a snail’s pace, her head lolling to the side as white hair spilled over a ghastly pale face. A whine caught in Hiro’s throat, the sound akin to that of a wounded animal as the figures circled her like vultures. He tugged again, numb to the rope burns rubbing away at his skin until angry red splotches of yellow and green and red irritated and anger bit at his nerves. He didn’t know what was happening, his mind was foggy as to how this had even happened. Hiro didn’t remember. He didn’t remember and his head was throbbing which meant it was probably his fault. His fault that Mona was laying knocked out splayed out with her limbs moving like they weren’t controlled by any semblance of muscle, loose and lucid and languished.</p><p>He hoped she wouldn’t wake up. He didn’t want her to wake up. Maybe if she stayed asleep whatever they were planning to do wouldn’t hurt. Maybe she just wouldn’t feel it. Hiro had no idea what was about to happen. Except that it was bad. It was bad. He knew it was going to be bad. Worse than anything he had done to anyone, worse than shooting someone’s skull fragments like powdered snow over a wall as a topping across pinkish grey brain matter. Because it was Mona. It was his daughter. And he wasn’t strong enough to keep from protesting and now they knew he cared what was going to happen. They were adjusting a light over the table, positioned above her abdomen. She still wasn’t waking up. Why wasn’t she waking up?</p><p>If she woke up, he’d know she was alive and okay and nothing was wrong. But if she did wake up, then she’d feel everything. He saw knives on the walls. Fuck, she was basically on a surgical table. He was trying not to panic. He couldn’t fucking panic. If he started begging, if he started screaming all of this would be worse. If he just closed his eyes, maybe all of this would go away. This had to be some sort of sick fantasy, right? A dream? This wasn’t real. </p><p>They started pulling knives and saws off the walls and everything became extremely real.</p><p>He threw himself forward, the metal around his arm screeching, shooting tendrils of hot spikes throughout his shoulder. A figure saw and marched over, muttering to themselves. Hiro grunted as they planted a heavy boot against his chest and kicked him back into the post, pulling out a rag. Hiro twisted his head away as they bent down to tie it over his mouth, whimpering, trying to see Mona past them. What were they doing to her? He had to know. He had to know and didn’t want to know. He wanted his daughter. He wanted her in his arms and not on the fucking table, they were pulling over and cart and setting tools on it and they were trying to gag him and Hiro twisted his head and clamped his jaw around a finger, warmth of satisfaction dripping into his mouth with the blood he’d spilled as a harsh crack echoed in the room. The figure let out a muffled scream and reared their hand back, striking him across the face again and leaving a brutally red handprint with it. Hiro glared as they grabbed his head and forced the gag across his lips, snarling at the figure before they struck him again, snapping his neck to the side with an angry pop and as a confused spiraling feeling shot through his skull. When they left him and he tried to move his neck, the room spun. His neck ached like it had been put through a goddamn clamp, sore and stiff and sensitive to the touch. His face felt bruised and abused, barely able to lift himself back up in time to the light above the table. Click on.</p><p>Brutal red light, splotched purple and blue like a fresh bruise. Heat flooded the room with it in waves of pressure.</p><p>Hiro’s heart nearly stopped in his chest.</p><p>Mona surged to consciousness in a snap, a scream like broken glass shattering the air around her. Hiro froze in place. She was trying to twist out of whatever was holding her down, gasping and panting like a kicked dog, back arching off the table and slamming down when it became impossible to sustain holding herself up. Her legs were twisting as she panted, trying to find any way possible to escape, eyes frantically bouncing around the room for a sign of safety, flooded with tears that streamed down her face in rivers, turning her cheeks a raw blotchy pink as the light drilled into her. He was focused on her face. It was like she wasn’t seeing anything, eyes glazed over like frosted glass, unfocused and bloodshot as her screaming slowly abated into sharp, quick pants, hot breath spitting clouds into the air as she slowly stopped squirming under cuffs. Mona’s eyes were rolling back and Hiro had been so focused on her face that he hadn’t even realized why she was gasping for air, strung out as Mona’s body went boneless with a high pitched whine from her ragged throat, melting into the table.</p><p>They were trying to melt her.</p><p>The skin around her gut was bubbling, hardened into charcoal in some places and stretched and goopy in others like candle wax. Red and yellow and peeling like a horrible sunburn, frantically replacing and trying to patch itself together as her healing went into overdrive, body shaking like a leaf as splotches were covered with fresh, snow white skin. Snow white skin that melted down and slipped away like sludge, shiny molted muscle falling away to reveal sacks of membrane and organ held within her, all pulsing and convulsing under the harsh light. Mona was babbling somewhere outside of her body, trembling and frothing spit formed in the corner of her mouth, head falling further and further back until it looked as if it were ready to pop off her neck like a doll and roll away into some dark forgotten corner. Hiro watched, screaming and straining underneath the gag, as the cloaked figures produced a knife and saw, shuffling down to the skin of her legs. They ripped open her jeans without a moment to lose, the light dying down as Mona’s body shook and scrambled to patch over fucked over flesh and cover up her guts. The first figure raised the saw over the exposed skin of her thigh. Another nodded.</p><p>Hiro could feel his skin crawling up like tiny bugs, their little legs poking and prodding at him with tiny tasers and fangs. They were sawing at her skin, but he was more terrified of the recollection starting to grow in Mona’s eyes. Blue eyes became less cloudy and more clear, more shining bright sunny clear as Mona’s head slowly returned to a normal position. She was looking around, confused and dazed, when she finally realized what was happening. Tears streamed down his cheeks as Mona kicked and screamed, trying to tear away and scramble back stuck in place as they held down her thigh and kept trying to saw at the impervious barrier, sawing sawing sawing away like happy carpenters until skin started turning pink and then red as tiny lacerations form dripping tiny streams of blood and Hiro was begging from behind the gag, Mona was still fighting and trying to break free, panicking as her breath came in short gasps and her eyes went wild as they picked up the pace, sawing sawing sawing until great wells of red poured out, snapping an artery as a burst of red shot forward and up like a geyser, splashing and frothing over the table.</p><p>They talked amongst themselves as Hiro fought, fought trying to break free because that was his daughter, his baby girl, his Mona, falling limp again shuddering as her legs patched itself back together with melting globs of skin forming as wounds cauterized and she threw her head back and bit her tongue. He didn’t know what she was thinking, but he could see her chest struggling to rise as her system was overwhelmed bringing back memories of cracking glass like breaks bursting up from underneath her skin, looking to him with an outstretched hand “dad it hurts make it stop please make it stop” as he held her close despairing and powerless to do anything except watch your daughters body crack and pierce like a porcelain doll in your hands, put through so much stress and torment until her heart gave out and she was gone she was gone she was goNE SHE WAS GONE SHE WAS GONE hiro </p><p>hiro couldn’t fucking do that again</p><p>the light turned back on and mona’s head dropped, her eyes rolled back into her skull with glass empty eyes the blue was gone the blue was gone and she wasn’t breathing, she was barely managing gasps he was twisting and turning trying to find any way to break free any way to flash marbles through their skulls and splatter their brains across the walls that was too forgiving he’d compress them done and then rip the marble apart into a million piece decompress it mona wasn’t breathing MOna wasn’T BREATHING rip the marbles back into human form scatter the shreds of their bodies to the wind burn it burn it all down no one touches mona no one touches MONA</p><p>mona wasn’t breathing he couldn’t she her chest rise she wasn’t breathing the light was melting everything back away her healing process stopped. her healing wasn’t working her body was shutting down hiro was panicking he was panicking he couldn’t watch it happen again wouldn’t let it happen again ropes were snapping he was cutting into himself trying to break free blood slithering and licking down his skin he swore he saw them as her skin flopped away to expose her insides her swore he saw the cracks as her veins turned black and venomous underneath her skin</p><p>he saw the cracks he couldn’t see the cracks was she dying she couldn’t he couldn’t lose her couldn’t tell viola what he saw failed again failed to protect her failed failed failed horrible father you fucking failure how many times are you going to let her get hurt how many times are you going to throw her in harms way how many times hOW MANY TIMES was YOUR PRIDE more important than YOUR DAUGHTER supposed to protect her cherish her love her teach her what was right and wrong thIS WAS WRONG sacrifice your daughter atsuhiro you fucking lech, waste of oxygen failure of a villain failure of a husband failure of a fATHER </p><p>he swore he saw cracks he could see the light forming she was going again he was going to let her die again he was going to fall into viola’s arms and tell her mona wasn’t coming home AGAIN while she screamed and cried and begged for an explanation that he would never be able to give her, ropes were snapping his arm was creaking system flooding cold ice adrenaline focused focused focused vision blurring cloaked figures</p><p>His wrist snapped free, his wrist snapped free as blue marbles shot towards the light, glass raining down from the bulb as it poured out sparks and cries of indignation the first figure was coming towards him. Hiro ripped his flesh arm free and the man screamed as bones crunched and compressed into dust inside the marble, flinging it around the room, ripping through skull like paper no one would touch Mona NO ONE WOULD TOUCH MONA. Ripping the gag away as the went down one by one as blood painted the wall the ceiling the floor as Hiro cackled and laughed get what you deserve die DIE DIE DIE DIE they wouldn’t touch her he knew that they wouldn’t touch her ever AGAIN</p><p>laughing as the marbles burst and exploded, raining to the floor in fragments</p><p>mona?</p><p>mona? </p><p>Hiro staggered across the room.</p><p>She was breathing. There were no lines.</p><p>He collapsed to his knees after ripping off the restraints, clutching her tiny hand in her. Hiro was sobbing. Mona was out. Mona was out and barely breathing as her body slowly patched itself back together.</p><p>Hiro whimpered, running fingers through her hair.</p><p>Mona. Not Mona.</p><p>please never mona<br/>
not his mona</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Dad vs boyfriend part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>All he wanted to do was see Mona. That was it. Make sure she was okay so he could sleep at night and not wonder if she was broken in half with purple energy leaking out of her skin. So he could confirm she wasn’t fucking dead and actually alive. Kai didn’t think he was asking that much. Except that standing between him and Mona was her father that let this happen to her. That put her in this position and Kai couldn’t get a straight story about how it even was taken this far.</p><p>Viola had let him in their house, and Hiro wouldn’t let him any further. Kai was ready to snap his other fucking arm off.</p><p>“How am I the one who’s in the wrong?” Kai was trying very hard to keep his hands tucked into his armpits where his arms were crossed over his chest. “You-”</p><p>“You’re not seeing my daughter,” Hiro growled. “And that’s final.”</p><p>“She’s my girlfriend. I have just as much of a right as you to make sure she’s actually okay.”</p><p>Hiro’s glare was unforgiving. It was obvious the man hadn’t slept. His eyes were puffy from a lack of sleep and pink from crying. He clearly felt terrible, and Kai could see the guilt eating him alive. He tried to sympathize. He truly did, because he was sure he looked as terrible as he felt. But the bastard was the only thing standing between him and Mona, and he could feel that jittery panicky feeling crawling around in his chest and making his heart beat too fast. He was losing composure and he just wanted to see her. That was it.</p><p>Why the hell did Hiro have to make this so goddamn difficult?</p><p>Kai almost looked back at Viola for help, but she was standing off to the side watching nervously. He remembered that Mona said Viola hated conflict, and she probably didn’t want to make her husband mad. Hell, she probably only let him come this far because Mona would have wanted her to let him in. Dammit. Why was he even trying?</p><p>Because you aren’t going to sleep unless you can physically see she’s breathing and hear her heartbeat because for all you know she’s fucking dead and they’re lying.</p><p>Ah, yes. That was why.</p><p>“I just want to see her,” he hissed through gritted teeth. “If I can see her, that’s-”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“You don’t even have a fuc-” Kai sucked in a deep breath, fingers digging into his arms. “No isn’t a valid reason, Compress. Just because you’d rather smear my guts across the wall because of a petty grudge-”</p><p>“Don’t lecture me on holding grudges,” Hiro snarled. “Considering you drove my own daughter away from me for six months.”</p><p>“Mona is fully capable of making her own decisions. One of them just happened to be remaining angry at you for helping amputate my fucking arms and throwing me in prison for two years.”</p><p>“What a terrible price to pay,” Hiro clicked his tongue. “Considering you tortured a child for the same reasons, the same duration, and all with the same ramifications. The only difference was, ah let me think… oh yes! You actually deserved it!”</p><p>Kai’s temper snapped.</p><p>“Listen you fucking arrogant prick,” Kai let his arms fall, fingers curling and digging into the fabric covering his palms. “Your pride screwed her over this time. I’m not aware of what happened, solely because you can’t give me a fucking coherent explanation, so I’m willing to bet your guilt and failure as a father is the cause. Step aside before I force you to.”</p><p>He tugged on the edge of a glove for emphasis. Hiro visibly flinched again, hand unknowingly going over to the mechanics of his false arm. But then his eyes darkened and Kai’s eyes narrowed as three tiny blue marbles snapped into view between his fingers.</p><p>“Watch your fucking mouth, Overhaul.”</p><p>Kai ripped off a glove and scoffed. “I wasn’t the one who asked for it to come to this.”</p><p>Hiro’s wrist almost snapped out when a red chain flew out and wrapped around his hand, throwing him backwards into a chair with a low thump. Kai jumped back, head flying around to see Viola’s outstretched hand, her green eyes narrowed and filled with tears. Hiro opened his mouth to yell when Viola beat him to it, wiping away tears with a wrist as her cheeks flushed pink.</p><p>“Apologize,” her voice was thick and watery as she looked down at the floor. “And you can see Mona.”</p><p>Kai’s jaw nearly dropped from shock as she conceded, eyebrows flying up. It seemed to surprise Hiro as well, unable to think of a smartass comment for once. Kai swallowed and looked away, frowning beneath the black cloth mask.</p><p>“... I’m sorry for threatening violence in your home. I lost my temper.”</p><p>Viola’s skirt whirled as she started walking quietly deeper into the house. Kai stood for a second before jumping, nearly sprinting after her. She opened a door quietly and stepped aside as Kai’s breath caught in his throat. He walked inside with his heart hammering in his ears, trembling as he tugged his glove back on and made his way to the bed. He heard the door click shut quietly behind him, but didn’t stop to confirm it. Kai knelt down at the bedside and tears were already rolling down his cheeks.</p><p>“Hey, Mona.”</p><p>She looked so tiny wrapped up in the sheets and blankets. Her skin was pale and cold when he took her hand, but he could see her chest rising slowly and steadily. Kai’s fingers shook as he pressed two fingers against the veins in her wrist, breathing a sigh of relief as he felt her pulse thrumming strong and healthy. Kai let his forehead smack the mattress with a low cry, squeezing her hand tightly.</p><p>Fuck.</p><p>He could’ve lost her and he would’ve never known.</p><p>Never would have gotten to say goodbye.</p><p>Ah. The thought was too much to bear. It made his heart clench too tight in his chest. Tears flowed heavier at the suggestion. He cursed under his breath and raised his head to wipe away tears when she mumbled in her sleep, rolling onto her side closer to him.</p><p>Kai laughed through tears and ran fingers through her downy white hair, brushing a few loose strands out of her face. Mona sniffed in her sleep and muttered something again, pulling her blanket up towards her nose. He didn’t hear the door click open again.</p><p>Viola held Hiro’s hand as they watched Mona huff and throw her arm around his neck, Kai jumping half a foot as she tried to pull him closer. Kai sighed and let himself be dragged in. Viola saw his smile as Mona cuddled in closer to his chest, Kai cradling her like she was made of glass. He kissed her forehead and closed his eyes.</p><p>Hiro shut the door softly and wiped his eyes. Viola held his face in her hands and stood up on her toes, pressing a kiss against his nose. Hiro pulled her closer and buried his face in fluffy pink hair, breathing in the scent of her strawberry smelling shampoo.</p><p>“He does care about her, Hiro…” Viola murmured.</p><p>Hiro scowled.</p><p>He didn’t want to admit that yet.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Goldfish and redemption</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>a/n: chapter threeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee</p><p>Mona had finally woken up, and so had her appetite. Kai had been trying to take a nap with her when she started shaking him, whispering if he could get her a snack. He relented without complaint, smiling when her eyes lit up at the prospect. Normally he stuck to her side like glue unless she needed something, and this was no exception.</p><p>If his girlfriend wanted goldfish, she was going to get goldfish.</p><p>Kai swallowed the anxiety of the possibility of encountering one of her parents, praying that if it was anyone it was Viola. Even if her perpetual smile creeped him out a little, she was kinder and more polite than her pig of a husband. The bastard who tried to get him out of his house as fast as humanly possible, who visibly looked sick when Viola told him Kai could stay for Mona. Hell, he cleaned practically their entire house for them to get rid of anything nasty. Hiro should be grateful. For the most part, they avoided each other. Mona was still mostly bedridden, and Kai had enough respect for their relationship to give Hiro enough time with her. He’d make himself busy and work in the meantime.</p><p>Anything to keep out of Hiro’s way.</p><p>Because Kai still thought it might not be a bad idea to blow his entire face out of existence. </p><p>That’d make Mona cry, though. So he wouldn’t. Yet.</p><p>Kai rounded into the kitchen, breathing a sigh of relief when he found no one inside. He didn’t know where everything was in the cabinets yet, even after Viola had shown him at least five times. Begrudgingly, he admitted being around his wife even made him nervous. His mind would go blank when she asked if he had it this time, and he’d muster up a yes just to end the conversation. </p><p>Now, he wished he had actually managed to listen to her because he couldn’t find Mona’s bag of goldfish. Kai tried to move as quickly and quietly as possible, rifling through products to find the stupid smiling orange fish. He was about ready to give up and return to tell Mona he could only find Oreos and her stupid dad probably ate them all to spite Kai, when Hiro snuck up on him and made him nearly jump out of his own skin.</p><p>“What are you looking for?”</p><p>The question was innocent enough, but his voice alone made Kai slam the cabinet shut and whip around to attention. Kai tried to pretend like Hiro hadn’t scared the shit out of him when the older man smirked, though it didn’t meet his eyes like it normally would.</p><p>“Mona-” Kai coughed into his elbow, clearing the nerves out of his throat. “Mona wants goldfish.”</p><p>Hiro opened up a cabinet behind his head and pulled out the bag. Kai snatched it with a mumbled thank you, fully intending to go back to Mona and hibernate with her in bed. But then Hiro opened his mouth, shut it, and hesitated. Kai took that as a cue to leave, and Hiro started talking.</p><p>“Chisaki…” Hiro was rubbing his palm with mechanical fingers. “Take… Please take care of Mona for me, yeah?”</p><p>Kai’s feet felt like they were rooted into the floor. “I… Yeah. Of course I will.”</p><p>He was fine with leaving it at that, as odd as it felt. He wasn’t sure what to make of the gesture. But it appeared Hiro wasn’t quite done.</p><p>“I’m being serious, Chisaki. If you’re the person she chooses, then it’s your responsibility to look out for her,” Hiro clenched his fist, examining the back of his hand. “I… Made a lot of mistakes as her father. I genuinely tried my best to do her right. But at the end of the day, I can’t protect her. I think… it’s a little over my head at this point. Oh ”</p><p>“... From what I can tell, I don’t think you had many choices,” Kai shut up. “Being a father is difficult.”</p><p>Hiro rubbed his face in his hands. “You wouldn’t have a clue. … Maybe you would. I don’t think I know you very well after all. For instance, I thought you were using Mona as a crutch for your own insecurities. Now… I think I see that you’re genuine. And that makes me irrationally angry and somewhat happy at the same time.”</p><p>Kai bristled. “I’ve never used her for anything. If I felt like I was, I would separate from her. I doubt she’d even stick around if I theoretically was. Mona isn’t the type to let people walk all over her.”</p><p>“She’s not, isn’t she?” Hiro laughed, dropping his hands and crossing his arms over his chest. “She means the world to me. Her and Viola both. I… try very hard not to let anything hurt them. They’ve already been through so much. I don’t think I’m doing a very good job at that, considering I hurt them the worst out of anyone in their lives.”</p><p>Kai didn’t know what to say to that. In a lot of ways, he felt the same. Always hurting Mona because he wasn’t strong enough to suck shit up and deal with it himself. Shit. Like hell he’d want to admit he was anything like Atsuhiro. Fuck. Goddammit.</p><p>“You don’t,” Kai nearly said behind clenched teeth. “You make them happy. Even if she’s mad at you, Mona won’t shut up about her memories with you as a child. … I don’t know why I’m comforting you right now, but it seems like Mona’s turned me soft.”</p><p>Hiro laughed. “She has a funny way of doing that, doesn’t she?”</p><p>Kai almost smiled. “Perhaps she does.”</p><p>There was an awkward silence for a second. Kai almost got the nerve up to bolt when Hiro opened his mouth again, screaming internally.</p><p>“Do you hate me?”</p><p>“I don’t have the energy to put time into hating you,” Kai scoffed. “I did, yes. For a very long time. I want nothing more sometimes than to blow your snide smile off your face. You practically ruined my life, Sako. Have you ever realized that, or were you blinded by grief implanted in you by a sociopath?”</p><p>Hiro looked down at his feet. “I still believe you got what you deserved.”</p><p>“Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t,” Kai’s tone was cutting. “I’m trying to become better. Mona gives me a reason to try.”</p><p>“Mona gives you a reason not to blow my face off?”</p><p>Kai smirked. “It would make her cry. The whole goal is to keep her smiling. Can we agree on that?”</p><p>Hiro nodded. “I’ll accept that. Take her the goldfish before pots and pans start flying around.”</p><p>Kai leaned off the counter to sprint to her room, but not before Hiro caught him one last time.</p><p>“Thank you for hearing me out.”</p><p>Kai blinked. “Likewise.”</p><p>Hiro waved him away and Kai nearly ran back to Mona’s room. She was sitting up with a pout on her face, though her eyes lit up when she saw the bag. Kai handed it to her, sighing as she immediaitely began stuffing her face.</p><p>“Wha’ took you s’long?” she mumbled with a mouthful of fake cheesy crackers.</p><p>Kai kissed her cheek. “Couldn’t find them.”</p><p>In the other room, Hiro beamed as Viola kissed him, smiling with pride.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Hiro you fuck up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>how can someone so smart be so stupid haha hey look it’s me LMAO</p><p> </p><p>*Look at me.*</p><p>He took a deep breath and swallowed down his spit. She hadn’t looked at him since yesterday, instead choosing to focus her attention on the wood floor or random objects. She fidgeted around with them in her hands anxiously. Some of the things didn’t even make any sense to him: a broken glass that she tried to piece together without glue, a little bag of marvels that she toyed around with, a piece of paper she pretended to fold and mold into origami. She was doing everything in her power to avoid eye contact with him, her eyes cold and only able to rise to his belly at maximum. Never his face, never his eyes.</p><p>He wondered if she was disgusted with him like a wounded animal on the side of the road left in such a horrible condition you can do nothing but stare at it with pity. Like an animal that you’re too late to help. Just sit there and watch until the light slowly fades from its eyes. You try to return to normalcy, but all you can think about are its blank, white, dead eyes. Those eyes follow you, haunt you, suffocate you until you’re pulling your hair in agony until your skull feels numb while you bump into something because you weren’t paying attention because you were just in autopilot mode, pretending to act normal while everything inside of you is shattering. You can’t even pick up the pieces because they hurt too much to hold with the fear that you’ll never be able to put them back together without hurting yourself in the process.</p><p>Accidents happen. Sometimes it’s your fault. Sometimes it’s not.</p><p>This time it was his fault.</p><p>He meant to do the right thing. He truly did. A quick capture to avenge her. But he fucked up. He really fucked up.</p><p>He saw what Overhaul could do and he threw himself in the middle anyway and paid the price with his arm. Now here he was, lying in bed with ragged breathing.</p><p>And she wouldn’t look at him.</p><p>His body couldn’t stop shaking, weakens was the only things left in his bones.<br/>His shallow breathing took of the energy he had left to speak , his heavy tongue couldn't form words much less sentences, he wanted to speak, he wanted to scream.<br/>Scream at her it was not her fault</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Viola and Hiro’s first smooch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Anything for her daughter.</p><p>Viola lived by that statement.</p><p>So why was this so difficult?</p><p>She was standing outside of his office door, heart fluttering like butterflies wings in her ears. It felt like she was giving up. How weak was she to do as much as she had, only to quit here? She didn’t know what she was going to do once she told him the truth. Viola had saved up enough petty cash to scrape by for a few months, but after that? Then what? Try and make ends meet on her own? Trying to slip her daughter under the radar into a normal school system where she wouldn’t be targeted or placed under suspicion? It was all she could do, as little as it was. But she couldn’t put herself through this anymore. She wasn’t going to have Mona growing up around this, knowing her mother had enough blood on her hands to dye an entire city red.</p><p>Viola sucked in a deep breath through her nose, raising her hand. She hesitated before knocking, squeezing her eyes shut as her knuckles rapped on the wood three times. From the other side, she heard a muffled “come in”. Her hand dropped to the door knob and twisted it, stepping inside the belly of the beast with her stomach twisted in knots.</p><p>Atsuhiro had set aside whatever he was working on when she entered. His face was hidden under his mask, concealing all emotion that might’ve been under it. His coat was draped over the back of his chair, bolo tie somewhat undone. He must’ve been relaxing, fingers quickly buttoning the shirt back up, zipping the draw strings to seal it.</p><p>“Ms. Marvel!” he sounded excited under his mask. “What a pleasant surprise.”</p><p>Viola swallowed her nerves and hugged herself, approaching his desk with her eyes downcast. She might’ve not been able to see his face, but his eyes were on her like glue. That, she could tell. It felt like they always were. Viola dropped her hands to her skirt, fingers bunching in the evergreen fabric.</p><p>She finally managed to raise her head. “I quit.”</p><p>His surprise was evident. Atsuhiro was never at a loss for words, yet here he was, ridden silent. Viola tried to look as resolved as she could muster. There couldn’t be any going back now. She’d said it, and it was over.</p><p>“I know-” she swallowed her nerves. “You’ve been allowing me to do easier jobs. I cannot express how much I appreciate your kindness. I… I don’t want to do this anymore. I don’t want Mona to grow up knowing these are the things he mother has done. I-i want her to grow up like other children here, and I have to set a good example for her.”</p><p>She looked away when she heard the clatter of wood, eyes widening to see his eyes and mouth exposed behind the ski mask. His hands settled over the desk, folded neatly with a puzzle of a frown.</p><p>“Is this your final decision?”</p><p>Viola nodded, trying to keep the tears out of her eyes. This was perhaps the hardest thing she had ever decided. Forget running from a race hellbent on destruction, walking away from her only support, her only income, from him was the pinnacle of the things she’d forced herself to do. </p><p>“How will you manage?” he pressed. “A single mother-”</p><p>“I’ll find a way,” she interrupted. “I-i’ve been saving money to support us. I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for us and given us, but I can’t do this anymore. The smaller jobs, even, they’re… I can’t. I don’t want her to grow up seeing me cry.”</p><p>“Stay with me. You won’t have to work for me anymore, and you’ll have somewhere to stay with food on the table.”</p><p>She couldn’t believe her ears. “I can’t-”</p><p>“Yes, you can,” his voice was firm, but gentle. “I’m insisting that you do. I care far too much about you both to lose you to the streets again.”</p><p>“You’ll be in danger.”</p><p>Hiro laughed, the sound perfectly golden to her ears. “My dear, the life I live is dangerous. It doesn’t matter to me where you came from or what baggage comes with you. If you’ll allow it, and I urge that you do, I’ll make sure that weight no longer drags you down. For you and Mona both.”</p><p>She could feel her eyes watering. “I-it just sounds too good to be true. After everything, you’re just… going to give us a space in your home? For nothing?”</p><p>“Viola,” his voice softened. “If you couldn’t tell, I’ve become rather fond of you. Mona, too.”</p><p>Viola’s legs felt like they were about to give out. “It seems too good to be true.”</p><p>Hiro stood up from his seat, rounding his desk to guide her into a chair, holding her hand with care. Tears fell slowly out of her eyes, leaning into his touch when Hiro removed a glove and wiped them away with a bare hand. They sat for a long moment in silence, her tears falling and his soft touch against rosy cheeks, pink from crying.</p><p>“Nothing I’ve done towards you has been with ill intent,” he said firmly. “Your position is precarious. If a small act of kindness can help, it’d be my honor to do so.”</p><p>“You don’t owe me anything,” Viola’s voice sounded tiny and fragile. “It’s the opposite, in fact.”</p><p>He smiled. “Then do me the favor of putting my mind at ease knowing you’re somewhere warm and safe. Preferably, in my house so I can help out when you need it. You don’t have to stay there all day, either. If a small, easy job makes you happy, I’d be happy to help you find one. You like to bake, yeah? Little things like that might help.”</p><p>That faint hope stirred in her chest. Atsuhiro was kind, even if his motives were mind boggling at best the majority of the time. He was there when she rambled through tears, he treated her daughter as if Mona was his own. He brought them food, took her out to fancy dinners. He treated her like no one else had before.</p><p>Was it wrong to mistake that kindness for something more?</p><p>She had to know before she accepted.</p><p>“Why?” her voice cracked.</p><p>Atsuhiro frowned. “Why not?”</p><p>“You…” she bunched her hands in her skirt again, green fabric wrinkling under the clamp of her fingers. “You’re different from everyone else here. You always make me feel at home. You do all these things for me without me even asking. So, why, Hiro? Why?”</p><p>A sigh escaped him. She looked up as he pulled off his ski mask, fluffy brown hair bouncing as he tossed it back over the desk with his mask. Warm, dark eyes smiled with him, other glove pulled away as he took her hand. Viola felt her face flush, her heart beat just a tick faster. His smile made her melt. Absolutely melt into putty in his hands.</p><p>“Ever been in love, Viola?”</p><p>“N-no.”</p><p>“That’s a shame,” he chuckled at her beet red face. “Because I really want to kiss you right now. Maybe that’d make everything a little clearer.”</p><p>Her mouth felt dry.</p><p>“Do it then.”</p><p>He didn’t need to be asked twice.</p><p>Hiro leaned up and pulled her chin towards his mouth with delicate care, hands going behind her back as their lips locked. He smiled as he felt the heat radiating off her cheeks, tilting her head to the side. Viola’s arms shyly went around his neck, hesitating for a split second before pulling him closer. His arms around her held her secure, that sense of being safe and at home washing over her the same way it felt when he took her hands. Her heart trembled within her chest, tears pricking at her eyes. Everything about this was home to her. He was home. When he pulled away, he hesitated, trying to bring him back. Hiro chuckled and curled a lock of her hair around his finger, smiling as the pink ran out of his cheeks.</p><p>“Plainly put, Viola, I’m in love with you. I would do anything for you and Mona.”</p><p>Viola nodded enthusiastically. Hiro chuckled.</p><p>“Do you get it now?”</p><p>“I-i think so,” she put a hand over her heart. “It- I, yes.”</p><p>Hiro laughed. “From the way your face matches your hair, I’d say you feel the same.”</p><p>“Yeah,” she said quietly. “I… I think I’m in love with you.”</p><p>It smacked her over the head like a load of bricks, burying her face in her hands to hide the scarlet tone lighting up under her skin. She felt Hiro move her hands away, jumping when he gripped one firmly and lifted it to his lips.</p><p>“So? Will you stay with me?”</p><p>“Y-yes.”</p><p>Hiro beamed and drug her in for another kiss. Viola dodged it and just hugged him, tears leaking down her cheeks in freefall as she buried her face in his shoulder. Hiro shushed her and rubbed hands down her back.</p><p>“I’ve got you, Viola. I always will.”</p><p>Viola nodded fervently.</p><p>She just wanted to stay with him.</p><p>That wasn’t so ridiculous, was it?</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Hiro needs a nap</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hiro flopped down on her chest with a groan. Viola laughed and ran fingers through his hair with a smile as Hiro’s eyes drooped shut, his arms curling around her waist. Today was long. Today was long and annoying and he wanted his wife. Now he had her and he was finally satisfied. She hummed and continued toying with fluffy strands, singing to herself softly. Her fingers were soft and gentle, ghosting across his scalp with gentle care.</p><p>“Rough day?” she murmured with a smile.</p><p>Hiro nodded. “Please don’t stop.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t dream of it.”</p><p>Viola’s fingers continued combing through his hair at a snail’s pace, his body feeling heavier and heavier. This was all he wanted. Staying here with her, doing nothing. Letting her pull him closer to sleep. He really loved her. Viola was soft and warm and comforting. She was home. Home that adored strawberries and loved fluffy things. Viola tapped his shoulder, forcing his eyes back open. Hiro raised his head slightly.</p><p>Viola puckered her lips. “Kiss me!”</p><p>Hiro grunted as he sat up, pressing a quick peck against her lips. Viola smiled and squished his cheeks with a slight giggle, ignoring his mild look of exasperation. He wanted to lay back down on her. Viola pouted when he tried to lay back down.</p><p>“What is it?” he mumbled. “‘M tired.”</p><p>“You forgot… this!”</p><p>Viola brought his face forward and pressed a quick kiss on the scar cutting across his nose, a muffled sound of happiness escaping his throat as Viola pulled away. Hiro laid back down on her chest with a red face, tucking himself under her chin.</p><p>“I can’t play with your hair like this,” she poked his ear.</p><p>“Just hold me, woman.”</p><p>Viola laughed and squeezed him tight. Hiro nearly purred with happiness.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. No sex for Hiro only toast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“It’s okay, I couldn’t sleep anyway.” (Hiro/Viola)</p><p>Viola startled awake when Hiro’s mechanical arm whacked into her stomach, jolting up, looking around frantically. Her husband was mumbling in his sleep, twitching with muscles coiled up ready to swing. His mechanical arm slid off her stomach, tucking back into his chest as he rolled onto his side. Viola sighed and ran fingers through his hair. Hiro settled somewhat as she laid back down next to him, green eyes drooping shut before Hiro moved again, this time more sudden. She huffed and sat back up, giving up on sleeping for the time being.</p><p>She pulled her book out of her nightstand, opening up at her bookmark. Viola turned on her lamp and Hiro threw a blanket over his head. He didn’t wake up to her relief, pulling her knees close to her chest to prop up her novel.</p><p>It was an odd story but one she enjoyed nonetheless. It was the story of a young woman fighting an uphill battle against forces much stronger and more ruthless than her, on a quest to destroy a timeless evil before it plunged the world into chaos. Currently, her heroine was reeling after the loss of a dubious ally, coming to terms with a sudden new power with the help of her childhood friend.</p><p>She sniffed. She hoped they’d get together at the end of the story. They were so cute together.</p><p>Meanwhile, her husband was mumbling to himself about shooting someone’s eye out with a marble. She patted his head and turned the page, raising her eyebrows with mild surprise as Hiro rolled over, reaching over to snuggle into her back when he hit an empty sheet. His eyes opened slowly, raising his head to see her reading. Hiro pushed one of her legs down and laid his head on her thigh.</p><p>Viola giggled. “Oh, Hiro…”</p><p>He hugged her thigh and dived back into sleep. Viola ruffled his hair and returned to her book, flipping the page when Hiro’s grip went a little too tight. She jumped when his fake arm pinched her thigh accidentally, his eyes flying open and looking down at the tiny popmark he’d created.</p><p>“Shit, babe, I’m sorry-”</p><p>“It’s okay,” Viola slid her bookmark back in. “I couldn’t sleep anyway. So I started reading.”</p><p>No need to tell him he accidentally whacked her awake before either. Hiro frowned and kissed the tiny spot before sitting up to kiss her cheek.</p><p>“What time is it?” he rested his chin on her shoulder.</p><p>“Early,” Viola rested her head on his. “Mona won’t be up for a while.”</p><p>Hiro smirked. “So I have you all to myself. Eh?”</p><p>Viola bopped his leg with her book. “I wanna read.”</p><p>“I want you,” he sang, gripping her thigh.</p><p>Viola shook her head. “No. Book time. I’m invested now.”</p><p>Hiro huffed and stretched, bones popping in his shoulders as he rolled them back. “Want breakfast? I’ll make some french toast while you read.”</p><p>Her eyes lit up at the prospect. Hiro kissed her nose and slid out of bed, throwing on pants before he went to open their door. Viola snapped, grabbing his attention again. He looked back with a raised eyebrow, expectantly waiting.</p><p>“Extra strawberries.”</p><p>He smiled. “I know. And whipped cream?”</p><p>Viola nodded enthusiastically. Hiro opened the door and stepped out into the hall. Viola clapped and returned to her book, light beginning to bleed through the curtains. She rarely got time to read anymore, and Hiro made sure to provide her time to herself to do so. Time before Mona woke up and demanded to crawl in bed with her to watch a movie or before she needed to start housework. She loved time with her family, but this was also wonderful.</p><p>She had finished the chapter by the time Hiro returned, carrying in a plate chock full of berries and cream and a tall glass of strawberry milk. Viola threw her book aside and snatched the plate with a quick thank you, popping a strawberry into her mouth before realizing Hiro was also offering her a fork. She took it with a sheepish smile and dug in, devouring sweet deliciousness in record time. Even Hiro looked impressed.</p><p>He took her plate and glass after she chugged it with a whistle. Viola stuck out her tongue and  stretched, wondering if she should just go ahead and start the day. But then Hiro came back in and closed the door with a smirk on his face. Viola crossed her arms over her chest.</p><p>“You’re trying to bribe me.”</p><p>“I am doing no such thing,” he disagreed. “I just wanted to make you a wonderful breakfast.”</p><p>“Uh huh. Sure.”</p><p>Hiro pounced on the bed and laid down on her chest, kissing the area between her boobs as he settled in with a content sigh. Viola patted his head and reopened her book, using his head as a convenient prop. She toyed with his hair absently for what seemed like hours, enough so that Hiro had dozed off again.</p><p>She loved him so much.</p><p>Viola read for a little bit longer before she heard Mona’s bedroom door swing open, followed by her loud voice.</p><p>“Come on,” she insisted. “They’re probably still asleep.”</p><p>“Or waiting downstairs so your father can torment me…”</p><p>Viola chuckled. Kai had been staying with them while Mona recovered, and while he had warmed up to her well enough, he still stayed as clear away from Hiro as he could. Hearing her so full of life brought a smile to her face. Hiro grumbled and rolled to her side, laying in her lap when she pushed her thighs together for him. His arm fell around her waist, laying sideways in bed. It was quiet until she heard fast steps up the stairs.</p><p>“Mona, please don’t. I can make pancakes-”</p><p>Their bedroom door swung open with a little too much force, Hiro shooting awake again as Viola looked up from her book. Mona was standing with her arms crossed over her chest, looking furious. She was glaring at her sleep-addled father as Kai retreated into her room with a loud sigh.</p><p>“You made french toast without me,” she accused.</p><p>“Wake up earlier, then,” Hiro yawned, propping himself up.</p><p>Mona sighed melodramatically. “I haven’t had breakfast with you guys in forever and you make french toast without me.”</p><p>Hiro rolled his eyes and stood up, Mona whooping when he ruffled her hair, chasing after him. Viola shook her head and set her book aside. She stood up and stretched, ready to follow them for another round of strawberries when she paused outside of Mona’s door. She knocked on it.</p><p>“Kai, we’re having breakfast if you want some. I’ll make sure Hiro doesn’t poison yours.”</p><p>She continued downstairs when she heard the bedroom door open and footsteps behind her. Viola smiled and joined her family.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Stop helping Oji you idiot</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He did it. Again.</p><p>Hiro was sitting on the couch. His eyes avoided everything about her, either dodging to another part of the room or closing them whenever Viola tried to get him to just acknowledge her presence. Hiro was covered in blood, some his, some not. Little gashes and knicks peppered his form - gashes Viola was disinfecting and bandaging a bit more roughly than usual. He flinched whenever something stung just a bit too sharply, grimacing when something was bound a little tick too tight. What she was more… concerned about was his false arm.</p><p>Which was hanging uselessly with wires and cords dangling from the stump below his elbow.</p><p>He wouldn’t tell her what happened to it.</p><p>Her jaw felt like it was screwed shut as Viola wiped dried, crusted flakes of blood off his face, revealing the jagged scar across his nose. Viola turned his head towards her as she set the bloody rag between them on top of their abused first aid kit, eyes firm as she chewed the inside of her lip.</p><p>“Atsuhiro, if you don’t look at me…” she swallowed her threat. “Just look at me.”</p><p>Dark eyes opened slowly, still looking down at her lap rather than her actual face. Viola fought down the exasperated sigh that wanted to voice her displeasure, taking his good hand and rubbing her thumb across the back of it. Hiro watched the motions robotically, his face a complicated puzzle. Emotions flickered and vanished across his eyes like candlelight; worry, anxiety, anger, frustration, dread.</p><p>“You can’t come home with half of an arm covered in blood and not expect me to ask what happened,” Viola said firmly. “I am your wife. You swore to always be true to me, didn’t you?”</p><p>Hiro’s fist clenched over his pants. Viola wasn’t going to back down this time. He was visibly upset, and it wasn’t just because she was insisting he give her an answer. Something had happened. Something he didn’t want to tell her. Her heart was pounding. Viola knew whatever was going to come out of his mouth, if it ever did, was going to make her mad. That was the only reason he was being quiet.</p><p>If it wasn’t going to piss her off, he could be wrapped around her asking for comfort while she cooed over his wounds.</p><p>Instead, he was withdrawing from her entirely.</p><p>“Atushiro Sako-”</p><p>“Viola, please.”</p><p>“No,” she shook her head. “What if you lost your entire arm? What if you were laying bleeding out somewhere? How would I know? Would I just get a half-hearted explanation for how you died-”</p><p>“Okay, but I’m not dead,” his voice was tense, taut like a bowstring. “I’m here. I’m home. I’m with you.”</p><p>“What happened?” she asked again.</p><p>“Viola-”</p><p>“You are hurt, you were covered in blood, you-”</p><p>“Viola, please-”</p><p>“NO,” she shouted. Hiro stopped cold, finally looking at her as his eyes watered. Viola stood, hands shaking as she stared him down, jaw tight.</p><p>“You keep making all these broken promises and expecting me to sit here and comply!” she dragged down her volume, squeezing her eyes tight. “You throw yourself into danger, and you have no regard for what occurs in the aftermath! You do it over, and over, and over again. Do you know what this does to me?! Having to grapple with knowing that as soon as you leave this house, you’re in danger?!”</p><p>“I know, Viola-”</p><p>“NO, YOU DON’T!” Viola fumed, gesturing to him wildly. “You’re always getting hurt, Mona is a ticking time bomb, and I have to sit here and watch both of you rip each other apart. All I have is our family and I’m not going to sit here while everyone outside of it tries to tear it apart!”</p><p>Hiro held his face in the hand that remained. Viola knelt down in front of him and placed her hands on his knees, squeezing firmly to grab his attention back.</p><p>“What,” she squeezed tighter. “Happened?”</p><p>He didn’t answer.</p><p>She stood up, and walked away. Viola practically sprinted upstairs to their bedroom, flinging the door closed behind her with an echoing slam. She threw herself onto their bed and screamed into a pillow as the door creaked open. Viola heard his footsteps coming towards her, soft and scared. Hiro sat down on the bed beside her and placed a hand on her back. She was practically shaking with anger.</p><p>“Viola… please, just…” he gulped, she could hear the tears. “I’m sorry. I-i know I can be… terribly stubborn. But all I’m trying to do is protect you. Protect Mona. I get hurt often. It happens. Today wasn’t an exception.”</p><p>Viola turned away from him. She could practically hear his heart shatter in the air, breaking apart like chipped ice. Hiro’s hand was trembling on her back.</p><p>“It’s difficult to talk about,” his voice was cracking, but it was holding firm. “But everything I’m trying to do is for our family.”</p><p>“If you were doing it for your family, you would be able to tell me what it is.”</p><p>“Viola, that’s not fair.”</p><p>The coldness radiating from her was enough to cause anyone to freeze up. Yet Hiro laid down beside her, sliding the cold metal of his stump over her waist. She stiffened as his forehead rested against the back of her hair, gritting her teeth when she heard the tears. She was right to be angry. She was right to be infuriated. But her heart still broke at the sound.</p><p>“What were you doing?”</p><p>“... H-helping out an old friend. It went sour.”</p><p>“No more, Atsuhiro.”</p><p>Hiro nodded. “I won’t break the promise this time. I swear, Viola, I-”</p><p>“You’ve said that the last 10 times,” her voice even chilled her to the bone. “Over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again. Why should I believe it? Why should I believe anything you’re saying to me?”</p><p>His stump squeezed tighter around her waist, his face falling deeper inside her hair. Viola waited for what seemed like hours before finally rolling over and allowing Hiro to collapse against her chest, his cries racking his body like a storm. She didn’t run fingers through his hair. She didn’t say a word. Viola sat quietly while he cried.</p><p>At least she was still there. At least she hadn’t broken her promise to not abandon him in stricken times. She could’ve taken Mona and left at any point she wanted. She didn’t have to endure this. Hiro clutched her shirt and trembled. </p><p>He knew that, too.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Hiro is a fuck up part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A weak laugh escaped her throat, holding her face in her hands. Hiro was kneeling in front of her, trembling. Blood was smeared across the side of his head, evidence of some other scheme gone terribly wrong. Pink hair draped over her shoulders, nearly dragging her down. Hiro felt completely numb. Just waiting for her response that was taking eons to come. Viola’s hands were shaking, but the rest of her was not. She was nearly frozen in time, would have been if not for the quiet sniffs and droplets of salty tears sliding down her face.</p><p>“Viola, I can… I can make this right,” he rasped, voice torn from screaming. “Pl-please just… Just let me make it right. I can explain, I can fix this. If you just let me…”</p><p>He trailed off. Viola sunk deeper into herself, withdrawing into a shell. He wasn’t even sure if she was listening. Whether she didn’t want to hear or just couldn’t… Hiro was grasping at straws. There wasn’t anything he could do until she responded. At this rate, she might never speak to him again and the realization of that sent a dagger straight through his heart.</p><p>“Viola-”</p><p>“Do you know how many people suffer because of you?” her voice was hushed, a faint whisper in the night air. “How many people cry over you?”</p><p>“I’m trying-”</p><p>“No, you’re not,” her voice cracked. “I can’t count the broken promises. We’ve been married for years, Atsuhiro. Every year, every month, something new always comes up. Excuse after excuse, injury after injury. How do you think it feels to look at you like this? How do you think it feels to go every day with the uncertainty of whether or not you’ll be killed?”</p><p>He just hung his head. There was no winning this.</p><p>“It’s ripping me apart,” Viola cried. “It’s ripping everyone apart. All these years, I’ve stood by silently. I… I’m done. I’m done standing quiet. I won’t let you hurt me or our family anymore. We’ve all suffered enough.”</p><p>Fear shot through him with a rush of adrenaline. “What… What are you saying?”</p><p>Viola finally raised her head, pushing loose strands of pink hair out of her face. He could see her green eyes burning, aflame with anger and frustration and worry and fear. Her cheeks were flushed, stains of tear trails drying down her face. Her eyes were watery, but no tears were falling. Her jaw set, lips pursing into a thin line.</p><p>“I’m done.”</p><p>“V-viola-”</p><p>He reached out to her, and she slapped his hand away. Hiro flinched as she stood, shoving past him to round around the couch. Her fists clenched at her sides, teeth grinding as her shoulders spiked up towards her ears.</p><p>“Get out.”</p><p>A thin trail of laughter slipped through his lips. No. No, she hadn’t just uttered that phrase. It hadn’t just let her lips. She wasn’t glaring down at him like he was the scum of the earth when he stood on shaking legs and begged her for forgiveness, anything to stay at her side. Hiro reached out again, tears flooding his eyes when Viola stepped away. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening. She was getting rid of him like the garbage he was. Throwing him out on the streets to be collected or swept away. No. No. She… she was supposed to love him. This… She didn’t love him? He couldn’t see love in her eyes.</p><p>All he saw was anger and pity.</p><p>“Get out,” Viola hissed. “And maybe you’ll finally realize the impact your actions have on others. See how it feels to hurt before you ruin all of us completely with your arrogance and pride.”</p><p>Hiro took another step towards her, trembling like a leaf. Viola turned her back on him. He sunk to his knees, grabbing her from behind. A broken mantra of begging rushed from his lips. Anything. Anything to change her mind. Anything to put the adoration and affection back into her gestures and smile and eyes. Please. Please, Viola. Without her, he was alone. Without her, he lost everything. Wife. Daughter. Family.</p><p>Viola tore his wrists from around her waist and walked away.</p><p>“Pack a bag,” she whispered. “And get out of my house. Go stay with Mona. I don’t care where you go as long as it’s not here.”</p><p>Viola vanished.</p><p>Hiro crumbled to the floor, choking on tears. It took an eternity to get himself up off the floor, dragging his feet to their bedroom to retrieve his things. When he entered, she was gone. The only evidence of her was her wedding ring, placed on her nightstand.</p><p>Abandoned.</p><p>Hiro clutched it between trembling fingers and collapsed to the floor. It was too much.</p><p>His mind went up in smoke as he screamed and sobbed for a woman that never returned to his side.</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. God damn Hiro be kicking ass</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lurched forward choking on his own spit, Hiro felt the sharp crack of his nose splitting. Blood gushed from the wound like a fountain, unrelenting and staining every sense within his possession scarlet. He fell to his knees laughing, wondering how the hell he kept putting himself in these messes, how the hell this kept happening when over and over and over and over again he tried to run away from them. Apparently that was all fruitlessly, as meaningless as the current agony of the throbbing radiating and leaching into his skull in tendrils of cold pain. Hiro spat out blood clots, vaguely wondering how much overall head trauma he could endure at this point. Shadowy figures stood over him watching closely.</p><p>Hiro didn’t know how many of them there actually were clustered around him. They leered and lurched over him with obscured eyes. His entire body ached and throbbed, eyes falling limply to the side to see the corpses of the idiots he’d actually managed to rip through earlier. A quick snap against his abdomen nearly made him wretch, eyes rolling back inside his head behind his mask as pain blossomed out in red petals. Blood seeped through his coat and shirt’s fabric, staining the concrete warehouse a brilliant scarlet.</p><p>He didn’t even know what the hell these fuckers wanted. Who were they to just show up and expect him to not try and beat the holy shit out of them? What kind of bullshit was that? He told them as such and now look at him. A beaten bruised mess bleeding onto the floor at an unrelenting pace.</p><p>Another leg snapped down and Hiro found the adrenaline moving his body for him as his vision clicked into black with the speed of a lightswitch. Cold ice flooded his veins as he heard a distraught, frantic scream as five marbles returned to his fingers. Hiro’s vision cleared for a split second to see a severed leg flopping uselessly onto the ground, a shrouded body falling backwards caterwauling desperately for help. He laughed somewhere in the back of his mind, the little remaining rationality yelling at him to fucking stop before this could get any worse. Yet here he was, high on pain and adrenaline, teetering to his feet as bodies collapsed around him. If anything came close to touching him, blood sprayed across his mask indiscriminately, darkening eyes wide beneath as they lavished in the carnage.</p><p>When the final henchman fell, Atsuhiro wobbled on his feet, tugging off his mask before letting it hang limply around his neck. His mechanical arm throbbed, a low creaking sound probably meaning something horrible was twisted out of place and in dire need of repair. He knew he was drenched in blood as he dragged his ski mask off his mask, giggling to himself. Hiro’s eyes were watering as he finally saw the ring of mutilated, hole pierced corpses without obscured vision. He felt sick, but he was so so so so so blissfully high it didn’t even fucking matter.</p><p>Hiro waded through them like a swamp, head throbbing as his vision went fuzzy around the edges, singing a lullaby to himself. He knew he was gone. Somewhere beyond coherent thought. Somewhere dark and formulaic, forming a shield around the reality of corpses plugged and ripped through with brilliant teal marbles. Hiro didn’t want to understand this. There was no need to, right?</p><p>It was merely self defense, right? He killed them because he had to, right?</p><p>Hiro fell to his knees, holding his face. Holy shit holy shit his head throbbed. Light speared through his skull as if it were a sharpened spear, ringing screaming like sirens. His stomach churned from the smell of iron assaulting every facet of his sense, threatening to render him immobile and irrelevant. That sickeningly sweet irony stench was dragging him down, down, down onto the floor. Yes, the floor. Comfy sweet floor full of that warm wet irony stench. Hiro rolled onto his back in the scarlet stained floor, letting it seep into his clothes, into his being. It was making him sleepy, he realized, with half lidded eyes as his face throbbed. Two hands felt like they were dragging his jaw apart, threatening to rip his head in half. Hiro’s eyes fell shut. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep sounded nice. Sleep wipe away pain. Couldn’t think then. Throbbing. It ached relentlessly. He could just sleep here. Yes.</p><p>Yes that was what he was going to do with a scrambled head. Wait and sleep. Sleep away the throbbing. Yes yes yes. How lovely did that sound?</p><p>When he tried to turn to get more comfy, Hiro found his limbs unresponsive. He didn’t even mind. He just wanted to sleep this alllllll awaaaaaaaaaay. Maybe when he woke up…</p><p>Maybe when he woke up the bodies added to his mountain of corpses would be gone!</p><p>Maybe he wouldn’t even remember making them!</p><p>Maybe he’d just be gone…</p><p>When his eyes rolled back into his head, Hiro found himself hoping that would be the case. Hiro could lay here and sleep forever. He was already adding to the ocean of red, so he would be right at home. Right at home in a graveyard he could help create. Wouldn’t that be lovely? Finally get to relax at home with…</p><p>“DAD!”</p><p>Hiro nearly screamed from the sound alone. Loud, impossibly loud footsteps exploding in his ears, hurried and rushed. He couldn’t distinguish the sound, any sound, as the sirens in his ears took over the sense completely, plunging him into utter disarray. Somewhere, maybe, maybe maybe maybe, he heard frantic voices and a loud crackle. Snap snap snap around him within him Hiro didn’t know. Hiro didn’t know because he stopped feeling just like he should have done all those years ago. If he stopped feeling, then maybe he wouldn’t be dreading the realization that he’d upped his mountain of corpses. Hiro was mumbling under his breath, praying praying praying.</p><p>For once, just for once, he didn’t need to remember.</p><p>Mona sat against Kai’s chest, shaking. His knuckles grazed up and down her back uselessly, his cheek resting against the top of her head. Viola was nearly besides herself, flitting nervously, pacing through their shared bedroom looking after her husband. Her husband, Mona’s father, who was…</p><p>She squeezed her eyes shut and turned deeper into Kai.</p><p>mona was sprinting with kai on her heels when she saw the bodies crumbling like buildings after a bombing, watched hiro rip off his coverings before he laughed hollowly and swayed, falling head first onto the concrete as a second crack filled the air and she had screamed for him and kai had sprung into action desperately just trying to help him cling to life</p><p>cling to life.</p><p>“He’s going to be okay,” Kai whispered. “It’s a bad concussion, but other than that he’s okay.”</p><p>“He’s not waking up…” her voice cracked. “A-and then what he was saying-”</p><p>“It’s better for him to sleep right now. Let him sleep and he’ll be back to normal. I promise.”</p><p>Mona closed her eyes. She closed her eyes and tried to pretend she hadn’t seen what she had. Heard what she had. Kai held her tighter, trying to soothe away the fears and worry with little reassurances, little cuddles and kisses. Mona swallowed down her tears. All she wanted right now was for Hiro to wake up. For Kai to sit here and keep holding onto her, otherwise she might completely fall apart. Fall apart just like Viola in the next room, clinging to her husband’s side.</p><p>Mona’s fists bunched in the fabric of Kai’s jacket, trembling. Hiro had to be okay. He had to be completely, 100% okay. She couldn’t face the fact that he might not be when he woke up, or that he hadn’t been okay before he crumbled. She had to sit here and pretend everything was going to be okay, trusting in Kai’s promises.</p><p>She had to pretend she hadn’t watched her father commit a small massacre without a shred of his usual hesitation.</p><p>She had to pretend that he hadn’t been babbling about sleeping forever when Kai’s quirk crackled to life, hauling him away from death.</p><p>She had to pretend, just like when she was little. Mona was going to sit here for now and pretend there weren’t more issues beyond a concussion, and pretend she was going to have her dad when this was over. A dad that wasn’t begging for death to drag him away, plagued by memories of his own guilt that he had been praying he’d forget when Kai healed him.</p><p>Mona buried her face in Kai’s chest when he shushed her sobs. She screamed in frustration. All she wanted was her dad. Mona laughed as Kai kissed the side of her head, tears intensifying. When he woke up, would there even be her dad underneath? Or would there be something more broken there that he’d been hiding, something they’d never seen before? Mona shook her head uselessly.</p><p>She just hoped she would have her dad in the end of all of this.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Ring boy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hiro all but threw himself down on the couch with a low groan. He never understood how simple household chores could wear him out like this, yet here he was, ready to pass out without a moment’s notice. To think that Viola had been doing them for so many years with a smile on her face baffled him. She did prefer things neat and tidy, but even still. It was so much work. If anything, it only made him appreciate what she had done without complaint ten times more.</p><p>He glanced out the window. The sun was beginning to set, a fading orange blob against the inky blues and foamy pinks. Another day had gone by. He could scarcely remember how long it’d been since he returned. The reactions had been… terrible. Viola had just cried before reaffirming how much more he still had to prove. Mona nearly wiped him off the face of the earth. Kai’s glares nearly reduced him to a pulp on the ground. Enoch had nearly busted his jaw off with his left hook.</p><p>Even after all this time, it all still felt hopeless. Was everything he was doing even worth it? Mona was still so upset she could hardly look at him on some days. She wouldn’t even hug him, even after nearly 5 months. Kai threw fuel on that fire with his overprotectiveness, sending looks in Hiro’s direction that only reminded him of the anger that led to his arm getting blasted off. Viola wouldn’t let him sleep in their bed, forcing him to the couch. He wasn’t allowed to wear his wedding band. Hell, could he even call her his wife at this point? And if all of that weren’t even enough, his faked death led to a hard relapse on Enoch’s end, one that Remy even showed up to rip him apart on.</p><p>Guilt. All of it was just guilt that weighed heavy on his shoulders like bricks. Dragging him down over and over again. Nothing was changing. Everything felt stuck in time. </p><p>“Hiro?”</p><p>He opened his eyes to see Viola standing over him, hands held behind her back. Hiro jumped to attention as she motioned for him to move, sitting down beside him as she adjusted her skirt. She wasn’t looking at him, rather at her hands folded across her lap. She looked mad. Was she mad? Her face was difficult to read, aligned neatly into a straight face he couldn’t place any emotion to.</p><p>She turned to him, green eyes shining. “Please give me your hand.”</p><p>“A-ah, okay-”</p><p>Viola took his good hand and placed it on her leg, tilting her head to the side. “It has to go on your right hand now, but… it doesn’t make much of a difference, does it?”</p><p>Hiro’s eyes went wide, frozen in place. He felt cool metal slide down the ring finger on his right hand. When her hand moved away, a small sound escaped his throat. The simple gold wedding band was wrapped around his finger, scuffs and all where he recovered it when he lost his arm. He looked up at her from it, helpless to stop the tears beginning to form in the corners of his eyes.</p><p>“You deserve it, Hiro,” she gave him a small smile. “I’m proud of you.”</p><p>Hiro reached out hesitantly before throwing himself into her arms, shaking as he held her. Viola shushed him, setting her chin on his forehead with a soft kiss placed on the top of his head. Hiro fought to collect himself, choked under his own happiness and doubt that this was actually happening. By the time he managed to separate from her, he still wasn’t convinced this was real.</p><p>“Are you sure?” his voice was cracking. “Have I done enough?”</p><p>“More than enough,” Viola kissed the scar across his nose.</p><p>Hiro cupped her cheeks and dragged her down for a kiss. Viola’s arms wrapped around his neck as soft lips met his. He knew his tears were dripping onto her face, but Viola didn’t seem to mind. She held him and rubbed his back until he was ready to pull apart, burying his face in her shoulder. Her head rested against his, her voice soft as she soothed his worries.</p><p>“Th-thank you,” he sniffed. “Thank you. I pr-promise I’ll never ruin this again. I love you so much. I’m so sorry, Viola. I’ll never make you feel that helpless again. I won’t. I swear it.”</p><p>“I love you too, Atsuhiro,” she squeezed him. “I love you so much.”</p><p>Hiro finally held his wife and cried.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Viola is the best mama</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mona was curled up on the couch, watching mindless TV with a blanket pulled up to her chin. One of her arms hung down, dangling the remote over the floor. She could hear Viola humming faintly in the kitchen, a wooden spoon clicking occasionally against the side of a pot. Mona came home maybe an hour ago. In that hour, Viola had her tucked into the plush couch with a comfy pillow and a childhood stuffed animal Mona was hugging against her chest. It felt nice. Mona’s eyes fought to stay open when she heard the oven click off. A moment later, Viola was setting a bowl of steaming soup on the coffee table with a glass of milk.</p><p>She sat up with a grunt, pulling the blanket up around her shoulders. Viola sat down beside her and Mona picked it up with a towel to block heat, blowing on it to cool it down. She ate it slowly as it cooled, Viola picking up her book while Mona finished eating. Mona drained the glass and set the bowl down. Viola looked up as Mona held her stuffed fox, flopping over onto her mom’s lap. Fingers drifted through Mona’s hair as she closed her eyes.</p><p>“Wanna talk about it?” Viola offered.</p><p>Mona shrugged. “It’s just hard, Mom.”</p><p>“I understand.”</p><p>Viola set down her book, pulling blankets tighter around Mona. Her daughter rolled onto her back, eyes watery. Viola watched as Mona sat up, tucking herself against Viola’s side. Arms wrapped firmly around her, a soft kiss pressed against the side of her head. </p><p>“He goes up and down all the time,” Mona mumbled. “I know he can’t help it, but he just… I just want him to be okay. I can’t do anything and I get upset, then he gets upset because I’m upset. And then we’re both sad. I don’t want him to be sad.”</p><p>“It’s going to take time,” Viola rested her cheek against Mona’s head. “He’ll go backwards and forwards. Good days and bad days. What’s important is you both take care of each other. I don’t want to see you both miserable.”</p><p>“I’m not,” Mona frowned. “I just wish I could fix it. It’s just frustrating. He deserves to be happy at this point, doesn’t he? Like… he’s a different person now. He’s not the same. I think sometimes he can’t see that.”</p><p>“He will with time.”</p><p>“Dad still doesn’t.”</p><p>Viola sniffed. “Well, Atsuhiro is a different story. Kai seems like he’s wanting to leave the past behind. Or at least make his own peace with it. A lot of his healing will happen on his own. It’s not your responsibility to fix, but I know Kai appreciates you. He loves you, and he wants you there.”</p><p>“Am I doing enough for him?”</p><p>“More than enough,” Viola kissed the side of her head again. “You’re both doing the best you can. For yourselves and each other. Kai needs you more right now. But you also know that if you need him, he’ll be there, too. You need to tell him these things, though. Communication is key.”</p><p>“We talk about it,” Mona shrugged. “Sometimes I just need you or Dad, too.”</p><p>“And we’re here for you. Always.”</p><p>“Hug me.”</p><p>Viola smiled and squeezed Mona tighter. Mona nuzzled into it, sitting quietly as she leaned into her mom’s shoulder. It was nice. Sometimes the chaos was overwhelming. Being here, being home, was nice. She just wanted to sit here with her mom and be with her. Viola showed no sign of letting her go anytime soon regardless, and Mona was fine with that. Kai said he wanted some time by himself and told her to go see her parents. Mona was glad he had.</p><p>Viola kissed her forehead. Mona hugged her around the middle, eyes sliding shut. She’d stay for just a little bit longer.</p><p>Maybe the night.</p><p>She just wanted to be with her mom right now.</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Pillow talk 👀</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Viola smiled as his hands moved through her hair, nose nuzzling into the top of her head. She wrapped arms around his neck and sighed contentedly, warm and happy with him. Hiro’s heart still fluttered unevenly within his chest, her own breathing still light and gaspy in the night air. His knuckles ran over her sides where hands had gripped her hips moments ago, ghosting over sore skin with a gentle touch. His arms were heavy around her as Hiro pulled up a blanket over sweaty bodies. Viola pressed little kisses against his jawline, giggling when he melted into her arms, dropping down to lay his head across her chest.</p><p>The metal of his false arm fogged up against her skin, pleasantly cool where she was still burning up. Viola ran fingers through feather soft hair, massaging his scalp. She stopped for a second and chuckled when Hiro whined, sitting back up to lean over her. He pressed a kiss against her forehead and laid back down beside her, arm around her shoulder </p><p>“Talk to me,” she sang, rolling onto her side to press their foreheads together.</p><p>Hiro yawned. “Let’s just go to sleep…”</p><p>Viola threw a leg over his waist and pulled herself flush against him. Hiro’s eyes snapped open, still dazed and warm, with a crooked smile on his lips. Viola kissed the scar running across his face and sighed deeper into the pillows. </p><p>“You know you’re perfect, right?” Hiro grazed fingers over her cheek. “Absolutely stunning.”</p><p>“No, that’s you,” she sighed.</p><p>Hiro leaned in and kissed her once again, this time gentle and soft compared to desperate and heavy as it had been a half an hour ago. Viola’s smile only grew when he pulled away and his eyes drooped shut, exhaustion rooting in his face as Hiro sank down against her, laying close enough that his breath grazed her neck and his arm around her reached out to cling to her hand. Viola laid her head against his and held him tightly as he began to drift off.</p><p>She cleared her throat and she felt him smile against her neck.</p><p>“Oh, I know it’s not much, but it’s the best that I can do,” she sang. “My gift is my song and this one’s for you.”</p><p>Hiro rubbed the back of her hand and joined her, muffled from where he was laying. “And you can tell everyone that this is your song… It may be quite simple but that’s how it’s done.”</p><p>“I hope you don’t mind, I hope you don’t mind,” Viola kissed his forehead. “That I’ve put down in words how wonderful life is while you're in the world.”</p><p>They sang each other to sleep.</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Mona is fucking ded</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hiro’s chest ached, and it wasn’t from the burned flesh raking across his front above his heart. It was something that crawled and carved its way so much deeper, forming a cavity where his heart should be. The hollowness spread to the rest of his body, rendering him completely numb. Not even Viola’s gentle fingers could coax him out of this dazed reality. Her words never reached him, falling on deaf ears that refused to listen. Whatever it was, it didn’t matter.</p><p>Nothing mattered without his daughter here.</p><p>He never expected it to hurt this badly. Hiro had lost people before. Plenty of people had come and gone throughout his life. Very few had ever mattered. Not many except for his wife or the small child that had stolen his heart. Viola might have still been here, twisting his wedding band around his finger. Viola, who had been packing bandages around his chest with a cold medical salve, while tears dripped down her face. Hiro was a fucking weakling.</p><p>He couldn’t even comfort his goddamn wife.</p><p>How much of a fucking failure was he to torment both his wife and daughter like he had? Underneath the mountains of stress he’d put them through day after day, only for all of it to explode in his face in a cloud of violent purple energy. Violent purple energy and power that had burst from Mona’s back while she begged for him to hold her as her body unraveled, falling apart at its very seams. And what had he done?</p><p>Absolutely nothing.</p><p>Just like how he was doing nothing to comfort her mother when her forehead fell against his shoulder, wondering to herself what she had done wrong.</p><p>“Nothing,” he rasped. “You’ve done all that you could have.”</p><p>Viola’s arms laced around his middle as her entire body trembled from head to toe. Her pink hair seemed to drain of color, her skin pale and eyes dulled. Hiro found his arms moving robotically at a horrible attempt at comforting her. Flesh and metal fingers clenched in her shirt, bunching the fabric until it nearly ripped. This was all he had left. Viola was the only one left standing in his life. Yet he couldn’t even fulfill his duty as her husband to provide some semblance of normalcy, to stop her feeble cries and wracking sobs.</p><p>Not with the permanence of the absolute sheer terror in Mona’s teary blue eyes cemented in his mind. Not with the way her skin had fallen apart like glue had melted underneath before she finally burst and slipped out of his life forever.</p><p>There wasn’t even a goodbye. There was just an explosion and nothing remaining in the end but ashes and smoke and remnants of her existence in shredded clothing and purple fire.</p><p>Not even Hiro was left standing.</p><p>“Viola…”</p><p>Her sniffling stopped as Hiro curled around her, clutching her tighter.</p><p>“Viola, I think it’s dangerous to be this dumb.”</p><p>All she could do was turn her head from his shoulder to his neck and bury herself there while his touch moved robotically across her back. Hiro wasn’t crying. He didn’t even know if he could anymore, but Viola was. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that was unacceptable. He wanted her to stop crying, but he didn’t know what to do except sit here with her and just be here. Just stay with her when he knew she didn’t want to be alone more than anything else on this earth.</p><p>They were too broken to do anything without the other right now.</p><p>Hiro closed his eyes and tried to hold himself together for her sake.</p><p>It was all he could manage to do for her right now.</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Hiro: enoch is my child now</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You’re mafia, aren’t you?”</p><p>The kid froze, eyes narrowing into something cold and vaguely hostile. Hiro sighed, scratching his nose. The way he walked, talked, acted, and reacted spoke volumes. Hiro wasn’t sure at first, but the scars that painted Mona’s new friend like a mangled picture told him enough. Gladiator. That’s the term Mona used at first to describe him. Hiro would use a few others. Skittish, for one. Closely guarded in a way that the girl he followed after wasn’t. Enoch was always observing. He didn’t like to let her out of his sight in unfamiliar situations.</p><p>“Ah, relax, relax,” Hiro smiled. “You spend enough years in the trade and you just learn to pick up on signs. I don’t mean anything cruel by it.”</p><p>Enoch’s expression was a puzzle. “... Used to be.”</p><p>“I doubt that,” Hiro laughed. “It follows you like a cloud. In fact, you never truly escape. … The only thing I’m puzzled by is how young you are.”</p><p>“I’m 25,” he said carefully before his eyes darted to the side. “... I think. Regardless, it was more than enough time.”</p><p>Hiro’s jovial attitude dropped. He was around the same age as Chisaki then. The kid had to be young when he was dragged in. There wasn’t an explanation around it. He’d certainly been through the wringer. The gashes cutting through his cheek and eyebrow matched the same brutality as what slashed across his nose, and Hiro could tell there were more he was hiding. Enoch did that often, he observed. Tried to hide.</p><p>“... It’s not an easy world to live in as an adult,” Hiro frowned. “Certainly not for a child.”</p><p>Enoch’s expression softened momentarily before fading back into obscurity. So, he was young then. Younger than most. He didn’t expect him to talk about it. Hell, he didn’t either. But when Enoch moved away from the majority of the conversation taking place into the living room, Hiro followed him. When he turned, Hiro’s heart cracked a little.</p><p>“How do you deal with it?” his voice was choked.</p><p>Hiro sighed. “You have to turn it off. For me, it’s like flipping a switch. Once I walk through the front door, I’m done for the day. … But it was also something I learned after many long, long years.”</p><p>The kid leaned against a doorframe. He wasn’t a kid, but Hiro couldn’t help but think of him as one. The way his neck shifted, Hiro caught sight of a massive scar cutting through his jugular before it was covered by a hand.</p><p>“If you don’t mind me asking,” Hiro said quietly. “What were you involved with?”</p><p>“... Black market operations,” he said quietly. “Drug, organ, and human trafficking. Hitman, too.”</p><p>“How old were you?”</p><p>His eyes dropped, biting the inside of his lip. “... Eight. I was sold into it.”</p><p>“Sold?” Hiro’s voice was small.</p><p>“My parents were druggies,” Enoch said quietly. “They sold me for 20 grams of cocaine. They overdosed a month later.”</p><p>Hiro couldn’t help himself. He grabbed him by the sweatshirt and hauled him in for a hug. Enoch sort of stiffened at first before accepting it, sinking into the embrace. Hiro didn’t even mind the way his hands balled against his shirt. He patted his shoulder when he felt hot tears fall against his neck. Jesus, he had been a kid. When Mona was going to school, he was killing people as a goddamn orphan. </p><p>“If you need someone to talk to, you have me,” Hiro said firmly. “It stays between us. I’m sure there are things you can’t or won’t talk about. Whatever the case, consider me safe. The burden is difficult to shoulder.”</p><p>Enoch nodded. Hiro rubbed his back for just a little bit longer.</p><p>…</p><p>Over time, Hiro pieced together Enoch’s puzzle. In instances where his sleeves were rolled up, he saw needle scars. If his hoodie or shirt slipped off his shoulder, he saw the beginnings of abuse, the marks of extremely faded tattoos. He saw how the boy fled from alcohol. He watched when his nerves would spike if Remy left a room too quickly. When people stepped too close to his blind spots or his neck, he jerked defensively. How he lit up at the slightest bit of praise or validation or affection. </p><p>It crushed his heart, but at least he was there if he was needed. After a while, Hiro became needed a lot. He didn’t mind. If he could get that kid to give a genuine smile that lit up his eyes, that was enough. Hiro watched it happen around him. Remy. Mona. Kai. Viola.</p><p>With time, it became more common.</p><p>Hiro hoped it would stay that way.</p>
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